It’s often easy to pick our food off the supermarket shelves without a thought about where it came from or who produced it. Each year, for two weeks, Fairtrade Fortnight aims to change that, an event that brings together farmers, workers and campaigners worldwide to celebrate those who grow our food and raise awareness of the benefits of shopping Fairtrade. Taking place between the 27th of February to the 12th of March, the fortnight aims to spread the vital message that switching to Fairtrade products helps support both the producer and the planet.
What is Fairtrade?
Fairtrade is a certification that aims to ensure high standards in the wellbeing of workers involved in the supply or production of ingredients. Central to this is the achievement of safe working conditions, workers’ rights and the provision of fairer pay. For the consumer, it offers peace of mind that the products you choose to purchase are high-quality, ethically produced and contribute to the creation of a more fair world. Whether its coffee, tea or bananas, Fairtrade is committed to act towards eliminating the inequalities within global trade, operating within 1700 organisations and over 1.9 million farmers worldwide.
Why shop Fairtrade?
Fairtrade minimum price – Through their Minimum Price initiative, Fairtrade supports producers globally to become more income-secure and less susceptible to poverty.
The Fairtrade standard – Fairtrade’s standards cover various areas of ecological protection. Ensuring high standards of soil and water quality, biodiversity protection and pest control, alongside a focus on emission reduction, Fairtrade makes certain that produce is both high-quality and good for the planet.
Empowering farmers – Encouraging farmers to organise into cooperatives, Fairtrade actively improves the position of farmers within global supply chains, offering improved power to negotiate fairer prices for their products. They also actively improve access to agricultural services, providing programmes like organic training much like we do here at English Tea Shop.
What’s happening this Fairtrade Fortnight?
Organised by Fairtrade supporters and ethical shoppers alike, hundreds of exciting events take part each and every Fairtrade Fortnight. Fairtrade coffee mornings, film screenings, pub quizzes and talks from activists are just a few of the things you should expect this fortnight, with supporters in local communities coming together to spread the simple message that choosing Fairtrade is the best way to create a fairer, more sustainable future for many of the globe’s favourite foods.
Fairtrade at English Tea Shop
At English Tea Shop, we cannot express how much we value the role our farmers have played within our journey. With this in mind, making sure that they receive a fair price for their produce is vital for us. Therefore, in 2022, we worked with 693 Fairtrade farmers, with seventeen of the main ingredients we source certified as Fairtrade, such as cinnamon, hibiscus and lemongrass. Additionally, Nineteen of our delicious tea blends are fully certified as Fairtrade. This means that you get to make a difference each and every time you buy one of our brews.
This Fairtrade Fortnight, make the switch to Fairtrade and support farmers and producers globally to help foster a fairer and more sustainable world. Below, we’ve linked some resources to find out more about the fortnight and importance of Fair Trade.